Police discuss dangers of distracted driving

MORGANTOWN — There are no concrete numbers to support it, but distracted driving is now believed to be more dangerous than drunk driving, Capt. Matt McCabe, of the Morgantown Police Department, said.
“Think about how many accidents are caused by distracted driving,” he said, explaining that there are far more distracted drivers than drunk drivers.
The National Safety Council has declared April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
Anytime a driver is holding a phone while on a public road, that’s a violation, McCabe said.
Perry Palmer, Monongalia County sheriff, said distracted driving is “definitely” a problem. He said his department has issued more than 65 citations for distracted driving in April.
Awareness is important when driving, and it only takes a split second for things to go wrong, Palmer said.
McCabe said a lack of awareness is exactly what makes distracted driving so dangerous. If a driver glances down at their phone for just one-and-a-half seconds while going 25 miles an hour, that’s about 50 feet traveled before the driver realizes what’s going on, he said. As speed increases, so does the risk, he said.
A lot of times those driving at erratic speeds or going left of center can be seen on cell phones if you look closely, McCabe said. He said many rear-end collisions are caused by distracting driving.
Making matters worse, people know the behavior is wrong and try to hide their texting by keeping the phone tucked between their legs, McCabe said.
“Imagine how much more they’re looking down than if they’re texting by the steering wheel,” he said.
It’s hard to know how many accidents are caused by distracted driving since it’s hard to prove someone was on their phone, McCabe said. He explained there is no blood test or breathalyzer like there is for DUI.
Just because a driver is stopped at a traffic light doesn’t mean they won’t get pulled over for distracted driving, Palmer said.
“It’s important that people understand no phone in hand,” he said.
A first offense for distracted driving comes with a $100 fine, while the third offense starts putting points on a driver’s license, McCabe said. Insurance rates can also increase, he said.
Palmer said he sometimes receives complaints about first responders on their phones, but said first responders are exempt from the law as long it’s in performance of their duties. He said his department is in the process of ensuring all vehicles have Bluetooth so deputies can operate hands-free.
Both departments receive money from the Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GSHP), which allows off-duty officers to focus specifically on enforcing traffic violations. The money comes from a federal grant, which is then distributed by the GHSP, McCabe said.